Memories
by Dumb Dugger
Summary: Something from their past tore them apart 13 years ago. Now he wants to bring them together again. DeliaXGiovanni
1. Visitor

I get a lick on my face. I slowly open my eyes as I awaken from my slumber. The first thing my eyes focus on is the pokemon that woke me up.

"Hi cutie. How did you get here? Did Mr. Mime let you in?" I ask sleepily. I rub the sleep out of my eyes and recognize who the pokemon is.

"Persian!? Is that really you?" I ask, suddenly fully awake and overjoyed. I hug my long lost friend from my past. "How did you get here? Where did you come- Giovanni? Are you here too?" I hold on to Persian and crawl to the corner of my bed, already knowing the dreaded answer to my question.

"Persian did always bring us together, didn't he?" Giovanni answered as he turned on the bedroom light. "I haven't seen you in thirteen years. I've missed you. So has everyone else."

I am speechless for a moment, but suddenly anger floods throughout my body. "I've missed you? That's the best you could do? You had thirteen years to work on that! And yet here you are," I reluctantly set Persian on the bed as I stand up, my voice rising, almost screaming the words at him, "For thirteen years! Do you have any idea what you did to me when you left? How much pain and suffering you put me through?" my voice is starting tremble, "Do you have any idea what you took away from me? For thirteen years you had Persian!" After screaming that at him, I run at him, trying to hit him as hard as I could so he could feel the physical pain just like I have felt the emotional suffering. Giovanni didn't even flinch when my fist made contact with his face. "You took everything away from me!" I punched him as hard as I could with every word I spoke. "Why did you do that to me? Why did you hurt me so badly? Why? Why? WHY-"

"WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA AAH!" I looks down and notice a pokemon that was so small that I hadn't noticed it before it started crying.

"Is that? It can't be …are you...? Cubone?" I whisper the last word before I fall to my knees and cry. "I thought …how…why…Is…this…?" I can't finish the sentence.

"Yes, this is Marowak's baby." Giovanni tells me, fully understanding what I meant.

Persian jumps off the bed, and walks over to me. Persian nudges me, and I looks up. I try to stop crying, but fail, as I cling to Persian. This time though, I don't let go. This time as I speak to him, I don't go above a whisper. "Do you realize how much pain you are causing me by being here tonight? To show me Persian and Cubone. To remind me of my poor Marowak. You left me thirteen years ago, and now you come back, after all these years spent apart from one another, and all you can say is 'I've missed you.'

"Why did you leave? When you left you hurt more than just me. You hurt many pokemon that were your friends. You don't even know it but you hurt Ash too. You don't know how much it hurts him having to grow up without a father…Giovanni…"


	2. Cubone

"Get out."

He doesn't get angry or sad, or any emotion at all. He just returns Cubone to its pokeball and goes to the door. He takes one look back at me, still on the floor holding Persian. He calls Persian, but Persian doesn't move. Before he turns, I see the first trace of emotion from him all night. When he realizes his tears welling up, he quickly opens the door and leaves my room. I hear him walk down the stairs. Before he opens the front door to leave, my door opens up again. I see my frantic Mr. Mime rushing to me. I notice red marks around his wrists from where Giovanni must have tied him up. With all or Mr. Mime's yelling, I never hear him leave.

With both Persian and Mr. Mime by my side, it is easier for me to calm down and stop crying, even though it takes a long time for me to. I never realized how exhausted I was physically and emotionally, that I didn't know I had fallen asleep until the next day when Ash woke me up.

"Mom! Wake up!"

I slowly stir awake. It takes a few seconds for reality to kick in. I look around for Persian, but he's not in my room. I realize I am in my bed, instead of on the floor.

"Mom? Are you ok?"

I look at my alarm clock. It shows 4:36 P.M. I can't believe I slept so late. I never do that.

"Mom? Hello?"

There are no signs that he was here last night. Maybe it was just a dream. It has to be. There is no was that it could be real. Not with Cubone…

"Mom!"

"Oh! Hi Ash. And hello to you too Pikachu," I say, finally acknowledging them for the first time. "Where are your friends at?"

"Brock and Misty had to go home. I tried to call and tell you that before I left Viridian City today, but you never answered the phone," he told me.

"Oh, I'm sorry. Do you want me to fix you something to eat? I'm sure that you're hungry."

"Yes please!"

"Pika!"

"OK then." I get up and we walk out of my room to the kitchen. As we walk by the front door, Mr. Mime walks in and grabs me and drags me to his room. Not knowing what was wrong, I start thinking that maybe last night was real, and not just a dream.

I tell Ash to stay outside and then I go in. As soon as I close the door, Mr. Mime gives me a note that was written in none other than Giovanni's handwriting. It read:

Dearest Delia,

It was wrong of me to just barge in unannounced as I did last night, especially after what I did. I sincerely apologize. I want to see you. I want to talk to you. Please, if you can, please meet me at my gym in Viridian City. You can come at any time. I will wait for you.

-Giovanni

I didn't do anything after I read it. I couldn't believe it. But that wasn't all he left. Mr. Mime handed me a pokeball. I knew instantly who was inside. Just to make sure, I pushed the button and opened the ball. Just as I thought, Cubone appeared out of the red light of the ball. It blinked a few times, and then scanned the room, looking for something. I guess I was that something, because Cubone made its way towards me. When it got to me, it hit my shin softly with the bone it carried to tell me it wanted to be held. I picked up Cubone and held it close to me.

Even though I knew Cubone would have it, I was still shocked that it had Marowak's skull on its head. Seeing it brought back memories of that day…

As I held Cubone, it slowly fell asleep in my arms. I slowly open the door and go back to the kitchen where Ash is eating a sandwich. "Ash, can you run to Professor Oak's Laboratory real fast? I need you to get some things for a baby Cubone."

"Ok I can do it. What for though?" he turns around in his chair and sees it. "Oh. OK. I'll be right back." He runs out the front door with his half eaten sandwich.

I walk into the living room with the still sleeping Cubone. I sit on the sofa and cradle it in my arms like I used to when Marowak was still a Cubone. All I do is hold it, watching its every movement. Even when Ash came home with everything for Cubone, I was never apart from it. The only time I let go was to get some food for Cubone when it woke up. As I fed it I couldn't help but be reminded of Marowak. Everything Cubone did was almost exactly what Marowak used to do.

After Cubone finished eating, it falls asleep again. "Is it a boy or a girl?" Ash asks quietly.

"Cubone is a boy," I answer.

It was getting late, and even though I had slept the whole day, I was tired. I told Ash good night and went upstairs.

I notice two things when I open my door. One is a crib that Mr. Mime must have put in here. The other is Persian. I put Cubone in the crib, and then get into bed with Persian by my side. As sleep draws near, I take one last look at where Cubone lay. Then I put one arm around Persian and close my eyes.

I dream.


	3. Dream

I remember the first time I saw him. I was at the Pokemon Center in Viridian City. He was on the TV. There was a news special on the Gym Leader's son finally becoming of age to receive his first pokemon. I thought it was strange how like me he didn't choose either Bulbasaur, Charmander, or Squirtle as his starter. The reporter said that Giovanni would be waiting at the Viridian Gym for any challenger brave enough to challenge him to a battle, his first battle.

I don't know why I decided to challenge him, but as soon as my pokemon was fully healed by Nurse Joy and Chansey, I made my way to the Viridian Gym. I was surprised to find that there was no waiting line at the Viridian Gym. I guessed that I was too late and that Giovanni was done battling with trainers, but as I turned away, a figure appeared from the Gym doors.

I saw a boy with a Meowth in his arms. I recognized him instantly as Giovanni, son of the Viridian Gym Leader. He just stared down at me, with no recognizable facial expression. He never said a word to me, but his Meowth jumped out of his arms and ran down the steps towards me and onto my shoulders. He rubbed his cheek against my own, and I could feel his body vibrations as he purred softly. I reached up and scratched the top of his head, causing him to purr even more. I looked back up at Giovanni, but he wasn't there. I saw the double doors slam shut.

"Meowth!" he purred as he jumped off my shoulders and onto the concrete. He walked around me and pushed his head against the back of my legs to urge me forward up the steps. "Meowth Meowth!" he says when I start walking. He starts to walk by my side when we get halfway up the stairs. When we get to the top of the stairs, he hops on my shoulder again so we can both enter at the same time. As we enter, I am immediately astounded by the sheer magnificence of the interior of the Gym.

I see Giovanni on the other side of the Gym floor. He still just stares with that blank expression he was using earlier. Meowth sees Giovanni and runs across the battlefield to him. Meowth doesn't jump on him though; Meowth just stands in front of Giovanni on all fours.

A voice from somewhere asks me, "So you wish to battle?"

I reply, "Yes please. My pokemon and I wish to challenge Giovanni to a battle."

The man to whom the voice belongs to reveals himself to me. He is positioned halfway from each of us on the sidelines to my right. I can tell that he plans to referee this match, but I have no idea as to who he is. He tells me, "Your challenge has been accepted. The challenge between Giovanni and the Challenger is about to begin. You may both use only one pokemon each. Giovanni. Challenger. Battle Begin!"

It shocked me how fast the battle started. I had no idea that battling was like that. The only thing that I had been taught was that I was to throw the pokeball and call out an attack. I figured I might as well say something cool for my first my battle so I said, "Cubone! I choose you!" as I threw Cubone's pokeball.

Cubone had no fighting experience but she know a few attacks. I was waiting for Giovanni's Meowth to attack, but Giovanni never gave him a command so I attacked first. "Cubone, use Bone Club!" Cubone ran at Meowth and hit him right between the eyes. I could see the fear in Giovanni's eyes when Cubone's Bone Club came in contact with Meowth. He still would not give Meowth a command. I didn't know if he was being nice because I was a girl or if he just didn't know how to battle. I figured it was the former, because after all, he still was the son of a Gym Leader.

"Use Headbutt attack!" Once again Cubone charged Meowth and hit him square in the stomach, causing Meowth to fly backwards onto Giovanni. Meowth just lay there on top of Giovanni, but Giovanni just sat there, seemingly not even aware that his pokemon was injured and on top of him. "Hey! Are you even awake right now? Hello? Are you gonna battle me or not?" I asked, trying to wake him up from whatever dreamland he was in.

I guess he heard me because he got Meowth off of his head and set him down in front of him. "Pay Day Meowth." Those were the first words I ever heard him say. He said those words quietly, but the ferocity and hatred in those words made both me and Cubone cringe. Meowth moved so fast around Cubone, that I thought I saw three Meowths at once. As he ran around Cubone, I saw the gold appendage on Meowth's forehead start to glow, getting brighter and brighter until it was completely white.

"Cubone use Bonemerang!" I called to Cubone, but Meowth dodged the first attack easily. Meowth cried out in a horrific shriek as Pay Day finally launched. Cubone was bombarded on all sides by volley after volley of gold coins shot at such a high velocity at point blank range. She never stood a chance. "Enough! Stop it!" I cry, but Meowth doesn't stop. Cubone stays up, refusing to give up, no matter how much it hurt her, but I wanted her to stop and give up.

"Cubone!" I hear her cry out when all of a sudden her Bonemerang returns and hits Meowth right between the shoulder blades. With that hit, Meowth collapses forward onto the ground, unconscious. Cubone falls forward as well with the end of the Pay Day attack.

"Match over. Both pokemon are unable to battle. The match is a draw." The referee ends the match and I run out onto the field to Cubone. I get to her the same time Giovanni gets there for Meowth. We both hold our beloved pokemon in our arms, trying to see if they are all right. When Cubone's eyes open, I am overcome with relief that she is ok. I can see that she needs medical care, and so does Meowth. Both pokemon were badly beaten up in the battle.

"Both of you go to the Pokemon Center right away. They both need medical attention fast." The referee tells us.

"Yes sir" I tell him. I get up and grab Giovanni's arm and drag him up. I don't let go as we run as fast as we can to the Pokemon Center, not bothering to return our pokemon to their pokeballs. I don't notice this until we are inside the Pokemon Center. He didn't seem to notice either until we both look down and then up at each other. We just stare at each other for a moment, lost in each others eyes. We don't look away until Nurse Joy and Chansey comes over and grabs Cubone and Meowth from our arms.

"We need to get these pokemon healed fast. I don't know how these pokemon were injured but I promise I will help them." And with that, Nurse Joy runs off with the two pokemon on a stretcher being rolled away by Chansey. We go to the waiting room and sit down on opposite sides of the room. He stares at me, silent as ever, but this time, I notice an expression on his face. I see a faint smile. When he notices me smiling back though, he quickly looks away, and I can see him blush in embarrassment. I smile even more and laugh a little bit.

"What is so funny?" he asks. He doesn't ask sarcastically, but genuinely confused.

"Your expression. That's all." I tell him.

"Oh." He doesn't say anything else. He just sits there staring at the doors, waiting for Nurse Joy to come out and tell us that our pokemon are ok. We sit there for a long time. There is no clock on the wall, so I have no idea how much time has passed since we arrived here. Giovanni just sits there patiently not moving, barely even blinking.

Finally, Nurse Joy reappears from the doors. "Your pokemon are going to be just fine," she tells us in her warm, sweet voice that all Joys have. "Your pokemon need to rest here tonight, and tomorrow they will be well enough for them to be returned to you."

"Thank you Nurse Joy." Giovanni and I say at exactly the same time, much to our surprise. She just bows politely and walks back through the hospital doors to our pokemon.

Giovanni and I both walk back outside, where we see the man who refereed our match standing in front of a black limo. He sees Giovanni and tells him, "Let's go home."

"Yes Father." Giovanni says, and gets inside the limo without looking back at me. The referee, the Gym Leader, doesn't look at me, but I can tell he is disgusted with me that I didn't lose to Giovanni. He is probably even more upset that Giovanni's first pokemon wasn't a ground type pokemon, and mine was.

I walk back inside and order a room for the night at the Pokemon Center. I get the key and go straight there. Once I am in my room, I don't leave for the rest of the night. I watch the sun set and think about my day, about Meowth and Cubone's battle, and about Giovanni. The last thought I have before I fall asleep is of Giovanni and I staring at each other in the waiting room of the Pokemon Center, which is only a few rooms away from where I am now. When I think of that, I yawn, realizing how exhausted I am, then close my eyes and fall asleep…


	4. Viridian

I awake in my room. I'm not sure if I'm still dreaming until I see Cubone. He's still asleep in his crib. Persian is watching from the foot of my bed.

I sit up in bed, and rub the sleep out of my eyes. I just sit and watch Cubone lie there for a while, until I see him slowly awaken. I get out of bed and walk over to his crib. He stands up with his bone club as a support. I laugh as he looks up at me with a big smile and raises his free hand as a gesture for me to pick him up. I pick him up and carry him downstairs to the living room; all the while he is hitting my back playfully with his club as he laughs.

I reach the living room and see Ash and Pikachu already in the kitchen waiting for breakfast. They turn to see me and Cubone when they hear the sound of Cubone's laughter. "Good morning mom! What's for breakfast?"

"You always think about food," I tell him. "Do you want pancakes?"

"Yes please," is his response.

"Okay. Can you hold Cubone while I make the pancakes?"

"Sure." He says as I hand him Cubone. Cubone is immediately cautious of Ash. I watch them for a second before I turn around to start the pancakes. I hear Ash and Pikachu trying to talk to Cubone, but Cubone just sits there in Ash's lap, not moving or saying anything.

I hear no sound behind me after a while, and so I decide to look behind me. I look back just in time to see Cubone hit Ash right between the eyes with his bone club. I couldn't help but laugh at the two of them. I saw Ash slowly falter and sway from side to side before he fell to the ground, taking the chair with him. Luckily, Pikachu reached out and grabbed Cubone before he fell too. I saw Cubone jump down from where he and Pikachu were and land on Ash's back. He laughed as he jumped up and down on Ash's back. I would've stopped him, but I saw Ash smile so I knew Cubone wasn't hurting him.

I just watched him play with Ash on the ground, finally trusting him and Pikachu, until I smelled something burning. I turned around and saw the pancakes completely ruined. I quickly took them off the burner and set them aside for the moment and made some cereal for Ash instead.

Ash barely noticed that it was cereal instead of pancakes. Once he noticed that there was food on the table, he lifted Cubone off of him, and jumped up off the ground and devoured the food in under a minute.

Once he was finished, he got up and, with Pikachu, headed for the door. "Bye mom," he called. "Be back later, me and Pikachu are gonna get some training done today." And then he left.

After he left, I just watched Cubone with Mr. Mime and Persian. Every now and then, Persian would bring that letter to me. I would never read it, but I would always consider the offer in it. Every time Persian gave me the letter, I was tempted more and more to go to Viridian City, but every time I was tempted, I was reminded of the reaction I had the last time I saw him.

I watched as Cubone marched around the room, whacking everything that he passed by. I laughed as Mr. Mime made a barrier to protect himself from Cubone's attacks. Cubone was so full of energy, that I decided that I should take him to the park, the one in Viridian City.

Cubone seemed happy when we left the house with Persian. Mr. Mime stayed behind for Ash. Cubone marched eagerly by my side as we made our way out of town and onto the road that led to Viridian City. But as energized as he was, Cubone quickly became tired and soon his marching came to a halt. He hit me with his bone club on my ankle and reached up when I looked at him. I picked him up and carried him the rest of the way, until we reached Viridian City.

When we reached the city limits, Cubone tensed up, as if he were nervous about something. Persian looks up at Cubone, and tries to comfort him, but Cubone just pulls my arms closer around him, trying to hide himself from Persian. Persian runs away into the city after seeing Cubone's reaction.

I don't chase after Persian, but instead walk calmly into the city to locate the park. I walk around the city, looking for the park, but I could not remember where it is. Everywhere I go, the only thing I notice are the posters for the Pokemon Gym. I quickly walk past a poster, only to see another poster. Each poster I pass, Cubone gets more and more uncomfortable. By the 7th poster, he is struggling to get out of my arms to run away. I had to hold him tighter to me to calm him down.

After I started holding Cubone closer to me, I started trying to avoid the posters, but they were everywhere. I decided to try to go inside a building to better calm Cubone down. The closest building was the Pokemon Center.

As I approach the Pokemon Center, a man and a woman in white uniforms with red R's walk up to me. I recognize them to be Jessie and James of Team Rocket. Now I see why Cubone is so scared, I start to notice more men and women - in black uniforms, but with the same red R - all around me. I keep my composure as I walk past them, into the Pokemon Center. I don't know why I walk into the Center, but I felt like I would be safe inside.

Once I was in, Cubone immediately calmed down. I turn around, expecting them to have followed me in, but they have all just gathered around the outside of the building, looking in at me through the glass walls. Cubone motions for me to set him down, and reluctantly, I do. He walks around me, to the counter where a Nurse Joy with fading pink hair is waiting with a smile on her face. Cubone reaches the bottom of the counter and looks up. He jumps up to try and reach the top of the counter, but cannot reach. I walk to him and pull him up to the top of the counter. Nurse Joy is still standing there, not moving, but still smiling. Cubone stares at her in extreme curiosity. He walks closer to her, and pokes her arm with his bone club. She looks down at him, and the smile fades from her face. She grimaces at Cubone, which is a face I have never seen a Nurse Joy make in my life.

She looks back up at me, and in the coldest voice a Nurse Joy can make, she says "It took you long enough. Master Giovanni has been waiting for you. I do not see why he would waste his time waiting for someone as pitiful and worthless as you." She quickly grabbed Cubone from the counter with both hands, holding him out as far from her as possible. Cubone struggles for freedom, but her grip is too tight on him, too tight that he drops his club. She turns around and walks toward a door in the back of the Pokemon Center. "Hurry up and follow me. You will learn not to keep Master Giovanni waiting. But seeing as this is your first time, I will just make sure Cubone is punished for you. I'm afraid you will have to watch this too, though."

Two Rocket henchmen grab my arms from behind and push me around the counter to the back where Nurse Joy was. I struggle to get free, just like Cubone, but then stop as I learn that they are too powerful for me to overcome. They do let me reach down to get Cubone's club. I hold it in my hand, making sure that it does not drop, as they push me forward, into the door, and into a strange dark corridor.

We go forward, to the end of the hall, until we stand right behind Nurse Joy, who has stopped in front of an elevator. It opens and light floods into the room. I look around, and see that cages full of different pokemon are stacked around the room. Every cage is filled, and some have pokemon that have no room to move or even breathe. With the light, every pokemon starts screaming for help, which is probably what they have been doing every time that elevator light has enveloped them.

The Rockets push me into the elevator, so that the light can fade from the caged pokemon. When the doors close, there is instant silence. Tears begin to build in my eyes and I cry for those pokemon in the cages, separated from their trainers and their friends. I look at Nurse Joy with utter disgust as she just looks at my reflection from the mirror-like doors of the elevator. She smiles a sarcastic menacing smile at me, and I flinch. I alter my gaze towards the carpet below me. It's a swirl of black and red, and in the middle, there is a picture of the Earth Badge.

Cubone has been silent since his bone club fell, but when he looks past Nurse Joy to me and sees it, he suddenly gets happy and laughs. Nurse Joy looks at him with an evil glare and slaps him. He screams, and grabs the hand that hit him and bites it. She screams and tries to make him let go of her hand, but Cubone clamped down and won't let it go. She starts to throw him against the elevator door, but still he won't let go of her hand. I try to break free again when she does this, but the two grunts were expecting this and hold me tighter, and pull my arms behind my back.

"Stop it!" I yell. She doesn't hear me, obviously mad with pain. I doubt she would even stop if he let go of her hand.

I hear the_ BING_ of the elevator as we reach our destination, whatever that may be, and Nurse Joy immediately stops throwing Cubone. The noise of the elevator must have snapped her out of her rage. The doors open, and in front of us stand a Nidoking and Nidoqueen. I realize now that she only stopped because she knew that the two pokemon would be there.

The two grunts immediately let go of me, and back away towards the wall. I just stand still, but Nurse Joy speaks gently to me in obvious pain, "Come this way, _please_." I take baby steps out of the elevator, noticing all the various sized dents that were made by Nurse Joy on the elevator doors. Nurse Joy walks past Nidoking and Nidoqueen, and the two pokemon walk to me and grab me, replacing the two grunts, which have already closed the doors and went back to the Center.

I look down, partially because I am afraid of looking at my surroundings, and partially because I don't want to see what is ahead of me. I see a fresh trail of blood on the ground, and see that it is coming from Nurse Joy's hand. I silently applaud Cubone for hurting her, but then start crying again, because now, I am almost positive that Cubone is going to be tortured to death by Nurse Joy now.

The only noise that can be heard in this room is the sound of the two giant pokemon's stomping as they marched me to forward. I closed my eyes and just concentrated on the steady rhythm of the stomping; Nidoking's slow and heavier _thud thud_, and Nidoqueen's faster and lighter _thump thump thump_. I just listen to the sounds _thud thump thump thud thump thump thud_. . . The sounds are calming to me, and let my head clear.

I jerk my head up and open my eyes when the stomping stops. I don't see Nurse Joy anywhere, but instead see Persian, sitting atop a brightly lit staircase. The staircase is the only source of light in this room. He bounds down the flight of stairs quickly and nimbly. He jumps onto me, and if it wasn't for Nidoking and Nidoqueen, I would have been knocked to the ground. Persian licks my face, once again happy to see me. I smile, and he jumps off of me. He purrs to the two pokemon, and they let me go. I stagger to catch my balance, and then walk to Persian. He starts going up the stairs, and looks back at me, as if trying to tell me to follow him. I follow. I look back, and see the two pokemon walk back, hand in hand. I try to listen to the _thud thump_ sounds, but they are too far away. I do see them fade into the darkness of the corners of the room, and then they are gone.

Persian purrs again, and I look back towards him. He is at the top of the stairs again, and I hurry to him. At the top of the stairs, there is a door. Persian goes behind me, and nudges me forward with his head. I walk towards it, but stop before it. I slowly put my hand out to turn the doorknob, but then pull my hand away. A chill run through my body, and I realize that I am going to have to go through that door sooner or later, so I put my hand back up and open the door. The door opens silently, once again into darkness. I see a tiled floor from the light of the staircase. Persian goes through the doorway, and I decide to follow. I leave the door open, just in case.

Persian guides me through the darkness, until we find a wall, and a light switch. I flip the switch, and light floods the room. Unlike the last time, there are no cages, and the pokemon in this room are happy and healthy. There are five pokemon in this room, not including Persian. There is a Venomoth, a Rapidash, a Golduck, an Exeggutor, and a Dragonite. I see them all stare at me at the same time, and then they rush me...


	5. Marowak

I smile.

These pokemon are my friends. They were my pokemon team along with Marowak so long ago. These pokemon, I love them. I have missed them terribly. I had no idea that Giovanni had taken care of them for all of this time. I didn't think he was capable of that kind of caring for a pokemon after what happened. . .

I remember that day. . .

I woke up looking into his eyes. He was already awake, and he lied next to me under the covers. He leaned over to kiss me. It felt so nice when his lips touched mine; they were soft and sweet. And then he spoke the words, "I love you."

"I love you, too." That was the first time I said those words to him. He was the only man I ever said those words to. He was always saying he loved me, but I never said it back; afraid of commitment. But after having the most amazing night last night, I was no longer afraid.

He smiled at me that perfect smile that I loved. His body moved to get up, and I just laid there to watch his perfect body move out of bed. He turned his back to me, but only for a second as he stepped onto the floor. He turned his body around, and I saw his entire naked body. I giggled, but he didn't try to cover anything. I had already seen his body the night before. He was still smiling from my confession as he slowly walked into the bathroom. He closed the door, which left me alone in the room. I started to hear running water coming from the faucet in the bathroom.

I slowly got out of bed, and walked over to the door. I turned the doorknob, and it opened. I walked in to see his beautiful naked body again, all wet and slick from the hot water from the showerhead. He was looking at the wall opposite me, and didn't hear me walk in, so I walked into the shower with him. I put my arms around his torso. He turned his head around to look down at me. He grabbed my arms softly and turned around. He then put his arms around me. I stared up at his face; his wet hair laying flat on his forehead, his sharp brown eyes that had softened, and his lips that looked so sweet. I just stared up at his face, so that I could take in every feature, while he stared down into my eyes, trying to do the same.

He pulled me close to him and we embraced each other. We stood there for a moment in silence, except for the sound of our syncopated breathing and the sound of falling water hitting linoleum and our bodies. My head rested on his chest, and I felt his heart beating in sync with mine. He put one hand on the small of my back and the other on the back of my head. We just stood there like that until the hot water ran out and we got cold.

He turned the water off and we got out of the shower. He handed me a towel and we both dried off. He dried off first and left the room to go back into the bedroom. I stayed in the bathroom, and took my time to get dried off. I stayed in to get ready for the day. Once my body was dry, I blow dried my hair and brushed it. I left it down, not bothering to put it up in my usual ponytail. I got my toothbrush and brushed thoroughly. After I rinsed, I looked in the mirror for the first time. The fog from the mirror was gone and I could see clearly. I saw some markings forming on my neck. I saw that my body looked the same, but it felt so different. I stopped looking at myself and left the bathroom.

I went into the bedroom and got some clothes to throw on. I put them on and then walked out into the hallway. The first thing I noticed was the smell of breakfast. I walked to the kitchen and saw him standing in front of the stove. I heard the sound of grease popping. I smelled the scent of bacon and eggs. I sat down in one of the chairs at the table and waited for the food to finish. When they were done, he fixed me a plate and set it in front of me, and then fixed him one and sat down next to me. We ate – well, devoured – the food in silence, not realizing how hungry we were until we started eating. When we finished eating, he took my plate and set it in the sink. He walked back and held his hand out for me to hold. I took it and I rose out of my chair into his arms once again. I reached up and kissed him, and then said "Thank you."

"Your welcome, my love," was his response. He let me go, and we walked to the front door. He opened the door, and we went outside. The sun was a lot brighter than the light inside had been, and I blinked a few times to get used to the light.

We looked out onto the streets of Lavender Town. It was bigger than Pallet Town, but smaller than Viridian City. It was a happy town, and nothing bad had ever happened to it. The only downfall to the town was its isolation from everywhere else. On one side, it was surrounded by mountains, and the other was ocean. Only one road actually left the town, and that led to Saffron City, which was a 2 day drive from Lavender Town.

We walked the streets of Lavender Town until we got to the place where Giovanni's new Gym was to be opened that day. He was going to be the first Gym Leader in Lavender Town, and I was to be his Referee for all official matches. He was a different type of Gym Leader, because he didn't have a type preference and fought with a variety of pokemon types. He had his Persian, of course, and Nidoking, Victreebel, Magmar, Cloyster, and Pinsir. He only used those pokemon for Gym Battles, but had many others that were given to him by his father as gifts that he used for training. As we walked, I noticed that he became less happy, and more nervous the closer we were to the Gym. I figured that he was just nervous, as all Gym Leaders probably were on their first day.

I squeezed his hand, and he looked at me. He must've noticed my concern, because he immediately softened his features and smiled at me. "Are you ready for this?" He asked me, as if to make it seem as if I was the one that was nervous.

"Yes, are you?"

His response shocked me, "No, I'm not." He stopped smiling at me, and looked forward, his face in deep concentration of the building we were approaching. "But it doesn't matter if I'm ready or not; here we are." We stopped to stare at the sheer magnificence of the Gym. The Gym was the second largest building in the Town, second only to the Pokemon Tower. It was large, with the shape of the badge that Giovanni was going to use as the front side of the building. The badge was my design, named the Bone Badge. The Badge was the same color and shape as a Marowak bone club.

We walked to the door, and passed through the automatic doors. We saw a lobby, where there were already four people in the room. One was Giovanni's father. One was a news reporter with her cameraman. The fourth person was a young boy, around 14 years of age. It was obvious that this boy was going to be Giovanni's first challenger as Gym Leader.

He approached us, and stared up at Giovanni. Giovanni let go of my hand, and I backed up, letting Giovanni have his moment with the challenger. "I wish to have a battle," the challenger said. He had a certain confidence to him, which was strange with anyone that had challenged Giovanni to a battle. Giovanni usually intimidated his opponents so much that they froze up even before the battle began.

"I accept. This will be an Official Kanto League Gym Match. Our battle will be a six on six pokemon match up." Giovanni wasted no time trying to soak up his glory with the news reporter, but just spoke to the challenger, and explained his Gym rules.

The challenger didn't say a word, but waited for Giovanni to lead the way onto the battlefield. Giovanni walked past the challenger and toward the double doors that lead to the battlefield. I followed close behind him, but as I walked past the challenger, I saw him smile. That expression sent chills down my spine. It was so full of malice and hate. I had this nervous feeling, as if the challenger might do anything to win this match. It was then that I knew that Giovanni was in for a tough battle.

We walked past Giovanni's father, and as we did, he glared at me. Giovanni's father never liked me, ever since mine and Giovanni's first battle ended in a draw. I tried to ignore it, just like I always did, but for some reason, this time I was frightened again by an evil-like expression. I hurried back to Giovanni, who was already in the other room.

I walked through the doors, and walked down the lines, careful not to set foot on the field. I walked up onto the referee's platform, and waited until the challenger and Giovanni were set for battle.

Feebly, I asked "W-what is the challenger's name?"

"My name is Daniel, and I am from Celadon City."

Knowing this information, I quickly stated the referee's usual monologue for a Gym Battle: "The battle between Gym Leader Giovanni and challenger Daniel of Celadon City is about to begin. Both trainers will use six pokemon each, but only the challenger will be able to substitute his pokemon at any time." I raised my red and green flags. "The battle will begin when both trainers first pokemon have been called from their pokeballs."

"I will go first," Giovanni said. "Go, Pinsir!" Giovanni threw a pokeball onto the field, and his Pinsir appeared. I figured Giovanni must have realized that Daniel was a strong opponent, considering that he was going to use his Pinsir first.

"Is that all you have?" Daniel asked, mockingly. "Go, Arcanine!" Daniel threw his pokeball onto the field, and the largest Arcanine I had ever seen was released onto the field. Instantly I was afraid for Pinsir. Pinsir had strength and raw power, but with its type disadvantage, along with Arcanine's natural speed, I was sure that Pinsir would not last long.

"BEGIN!" I yelled.

"Arcanine, use fire blast," Daniel ordered his pokemon. Arcanine opened its mouth, and an intense ball of fire erupted from inside it with such speed that it was almost impossible to know he even used the attack. The only way that I knew that Arcanine had used the attack was because Pinsir was instantaneously thrown backwards by the force of the blast. He flew until he hit the wall, and a loud crash was heard throughout the Gym, and possibly the whole Town.

Pinsir slowly slid down the wall, and I was tempted to raise the flag to signal Pinsir's defeat, but Pinsir rose up, even though it was obvious that it had taken a lot of damage. "Use guillotine," Giovanni told Pinsir. Pinsir slowly charged toward Arcanine, but Arcanine ran around the battlefield with extremespeed.

"Keep running around using extremespeed, and use double team," Daniel ordered. Arcanine started to make shadow Arcanines, and together, they ran around the entire field, encircling Pinsir, with each circulation gradually shrinking the circle.

I saw Pinsir close its eyes, and focus on the real Arcanine. It stood completely still, as it waited for the perfect moment to strike. When Arcanine was within grabbing distance, Pinsir swung its head right in Arcanine's path and grabbed it. At the same time, Daniel yelled, "Use fire spin." A ring of fire blocked everyone's view of the battling pokemon. We stood watching, waiting, until Arcanine was thrown out of the ring of fire. I could tell that Arcanine was knocked out the moment I saw it fly out of the ring. Pinsir jumped out soon after, seemingly unscathed and put one foot on top of the fainted Arcanine.

"Arcanine is unable to battle. Pinsir is the winner!" I said, with obvious happiness that Pinsir had beaten the odds and won. I looked at Daniel, but he was just staring at his Arcanine in disgust at having lost to a Pinsir.

Daniel returned Arcanine to its pokeball without a word and threw another pokeball onto the field. A Scyther was released onto the field. It stared at Pinsir, who was just now getting hit by its exhaustion. "Fly." I watched as Scyther flapped its wings into the air and flew up to the ceiling. Pinsir looked up and followed Scyther's movements with its eyes.

Scyther swooped down and flew straight at Pinsir with such great velocity, that I was surprised that Giovanni had to time to give Pinsir an order. "Use vicegrip to counter." At the last moment, Pinsir grabbed Scyther with its pincers on its head and swung Scyther to the ground. Scyther screeched in pain, and sliced at Pinsir's face to make Pinsir let go. Pinsir would not ease up its vicegrip, so Scyther flew up into the air, and then dived down into the floor, using Pinsir as a cushion. Scyther was released from Pinsir's grip, and Pinsir lay on the ground, unconscious.

"Pinsir is unable to battle; Scyther wins," I said with almost no enthusiasm. Giovanni returned Pinsir to its pokeball, and threw out another pokeball.

Inside was Giovanni's Cloyster. As Giovanni threw the pokeball, He called out for an Aurora Beam attack. The aurora beam appeared before Cloyster did, and shot directly at Scyther. Scyther fell out of the sky, and onto the ground, and didn't get up.

"Scyther is unable to battle; Cloyster wins," I exclaimed, almost as if I was a different person as the last time I spoke, when Daniel won the battle. Daniel just stared in disbelief at the one hit K.O. from Cloyster's aurora beam.

Daniel groaned sarcastically, but returned the frozen Scyther to its pokeball. He threw an ultra ball onto the field, and I realized that things were getting serious. Out came a Machamp. It looked at Cloyster, and punched its four fists together. "Dynamic punch, full power," Daniel ordered, and Machamp charged at Cloyster, all four fists glowing.

"Cloyster, use ice beam," Giovanni calmly told Cloyster. I got the feeling that Giovanni was not intimidated at all by Daniel. Cloyster cocked its head and shot a freezing blast of ice at Machamp. Machamp used one dynamic punch to deflect it, and used one to hit the ground to fly into the air. The third was used to hit the ceiling so that Machamp crashed down into the Cloyster with all its might and hit Cloyster with its final dynamic punch. I heard an earsplitting crack, and watched, horrified, as Cloyster was crushed into the ground.

"Cloyster is unable to battle; Machamp wins," once again unenthusiastic.

Giovanni returned Cloyster to its pokeball, and sent out his Magmar. "Return, Machamp," Daniel told Machamp, and sent out a Kingler. "Kingler, use crabhammer," Daniel said. Kingler jumped so that he faced sideways, and ran towards Magmar. Magmar ran in a different direction so that he dodged Kingler.

"Use smokescreen, Magmar," Giovanni told Magmar, and Magmar opened its mouth and let loose a thick black smoke that made it impossible for anyone to see, except for Magmar, who had been trained to be able to fight in conditions like this. "Now, take down attack." I heard Magmar start to run, and then I heard a crash as Magmar hit something. I saw Kingler being rushed out of the smokescreen by Magmar and into the wall. I felt the whole Gym shake when Kingler was crushed by the wall. Kingler slowly fell to the floor, but almost immediately got up.

"Bubblebeam," was all Daniel said. Kingler opened its larger claw and a large amount of bubbles shot out at a high velocity toward Magmar, and hit it right in its stomach. Magmar was thrown backwards and flipped before it crashed into the ground with a loud_ thud_. Magmar put both hands on the ground and pushed himself upright. Magmar ran into the smokescreen, and waited inside for Giovanni to give the next order.

"Fire spin," Giovanni told Magmar. Magmar started to run around in circles in the smokescreen as flames erupted from its mouth. The flames caught the smokescreen, and it burst into flames as well. Magmar kept running around in it; trying to make a whirlpool-like affect. When that was completed, Magmar grabbed the now tangible flame whirlpool and then threw it at Kingler. I looked at Kingler, as it stood in fear of the giant flame coming towards it.

"RUN! Get out of there! Kingler, MOVE!!" Daniel yelled, but to no avail. Kingler was not going to move. Kingler, just like many other pokemon that had seen this attack for the first time were paralyzed by fear.

I watched the flame whirlpool soar through the air, and finally on top of Kingler. Everyone in the Gym stadium – which at that time turned out to be a lot of people; many spectators had shown up for this epic first Gym battle – just stared at the place Kingler's body should be. We had to wait until the flames had settled before Kingler was found again. I saw immediately that Kingler was not going to be able to battle. "Kingler is unable to battle; Magmar is the winner." I said, and the huge crowd exploded with cheers.

Daniel threw another pokeball out onto the field; an Electabuzz. Magmar and Electabuzz immediately rushed each other, and ran into each other. They struggled for dominance, but neither of them would give in. Magmar had a lot of energy left, even after its last battle and the hard bubblebeam attack it took. The two were locked together in the center of the ring for a long time, until finally Daniel and Giovanni decided to give their pokemon orders.

"Use thunderpunch!"

"Use firepunch!"

The two pokemon both shoved each other back, and swung their left arms backwards, letting each elemental punch get as much energy as possible. Everyone in the Gym could hear the crackle of the fire and the static of the electricity. We all stared at the two as they ran at each other. They hit each other at the exact same time, and they were both thrown backwards. Both of them hit the ground and then slid and stopped at the same time. Neither of them got up. I waited a moment before ending the battle, to see if either pokemon would get up. I soon realized that both pokemon were hit by all of the other's strength and power. "Neither pokemon is able to battle; this battle is a draw."

Daniel and Giovanni returned their pokemon to their respective pokeballs, and then sent out their next pokemon. Giovanni sent out his Victreebel, and Daniel sent out his Jigglypuff. When Daniel sent out Jigglypuff, I had to stifle a laugh. Jigglypuff was just so cute, and didn't look like it could defeat Giovanni's big tough Victreebel. I soon found out that I was wrong.

"Double edge, Jigglypuff," Daniel told his pokemon. Jigglypuff ran at Victreebel at an amazing speed. Victreebel was sent flying against the Gym wall. Victreebel shrieked with pain as Jigglypuff kept throwing itself against Victreebel. With each attack, Victreebel was pushed further and further into the wall.

"Use bite," Giovanni told Victreebel. Victreebel opened its mouth, and clamped down on Jigglypuff. Jigglypuff deflated itself, so that it didn't feel the attack.

"Its time to finish this, use rollout attack," Daniel said. Jigglypuff ran backwards, and started rolling in place until it was at an incredibly high speed, then it threw itself at Victreebel. Victreebel's loud screechy cry was heard throughout the Gym, and echoed in the silence that followed. The only noise besides the screech was the thud of Victreebel's body as it fell to the ground.

As the screech faded, I told everyone "Victreebel is unable to battle; Jigglypuff is the winner." Giovanni returned Victreebel to its pokeball, and then threw out his fifth pokeball. It was his Nidoking.

"Use horn attack." Nidoking ran at Jigglypuff with its head down, ready to stab Jigglypuff with its horn. Jigglypuff jumped up on top of Nidoking. Nidoking instantly became outraged and ran about the field, trying to get Jigglypuff off of its head. Jigglypuff just giggled as it sat and enjoyed the ride. Jigglypuff jumped off when Nidoking started slowing down from exhausting itself. Jigglypuff jumped around the field, and Nidoking followed it. "Now, use Earthquake." Nidoking stopped chasing Jigglypuff, and stomped on the Gym floor and caused the whole floor to crack up and tremble. I watched the ground around me become ruined. "Now use rock throw." Nidoking picked up the cracked ground and threw the chunks at Jigglypuff with precise accuracy. Jigglypuff screamed when it was hit by the first rock, and fell to the floor when it was hit by the second. I watched as Nidoking picked up a third rock, not noticing Jigglypuff start to puff up to twice its size. Nidoking threw the rock at Jigglypuff, but as it hit, the rock ricocheted off of the puffed up Jigglypuff and back towards Nidoking. The rock hit Nidoking right between the eyes. I saw Nidoking's eyes roll back in its head as he fell backwards.

"Nidoking is unable to battle; Jigglypuff is the winner." Giovanni quickly returned Nidoking to its pokeball and threw Persian's pokeball onto the field. The crowd cheered when Persian materialized from the white light. Persian just smiled at the crowd for a moment, then faced Jigglypuff, and got in position to pounce.

"Jigglypuff use rollout."

"Persian, use payday."

Jigglypuff started to roll in place again, and Persian started running around the field to confuse Jigglypuff. Jigglypuff started attacking first, and charged Persian when Persian was in front of it. Persian stopped and let loose all the payday coins it had been storing as Jigglypuff rolled at it. Jigglypuff was thrown in the air and it rolled into the opposite wall with a crash. Jigglypuff didn't have time to make a sound as it crashed into the wall, and then onto the ground. It slowly got up from the ground and walked up to Persian and feebly tried use a pound attack on it before collapsing back on the ground. "Jigglypuff is unable to battle; Persian is the winner!" I as well as everyone in the Gym, besides the two competitors, cheered for Persian and Giovanni.

Daniel returned Jigglypuff to its pokeball, and then threw out his final pokemon. Machamp returned onto the field for this final battle. Once again, Giovanni had the type disadvantage, but with Persian, victory was almost always assured. Machamp grunted when he saw Persian, as if Machamp expected an easy fight. Persian hissed at Machamp in response, which caused Daniel to flinch. Giovanni used this to his advantage, and gave Persian an order. "Use slash attack." Persian ran at Machamp, and then pounced on Machamp. Persian slashed at Machamp's face, until Machamp swiped at Persian with all of its hands. Persian jumped off of Machamp and then backed away to get ready for its next attack.

"Use dynamic punch." I, along with half of the audience, cringed when Daniel spoke those words. We all watched in fear as Machamp used one punch to jump into the air.

We saw Machamp use another punch to hit the ceiling to dive straight down onto Persian. "Hyper beam." Persian let loose a blinding yellow-white beam of light from its mouth and sent it straight at the speeding Machamp. The beam hit Machamp head on, and Machamp was sent flying back into the ceiling. Machamp stayed on the ceiling for a moment before falling to the ground, unconscious.

I smiled as I said "Machamp is unable to battle; Persian wins. The challenger has lost the battle, and the Gym Leader is the winner!" With those words, the entire stadium roared with cheers for Giovanni.

Giovanni smirked as Daniel dropped down to his knees in despair as he called back his Machamp. I started to speak to the crowd as they quieted down, but Giovanni put his hand up to silence me. I looked questioningly at him, but he just ignored my expression. He carefully walked over to Daniel and put out his hand. Daniel took it and got up. Together, they exchanged a few private words. Daniel shook Giovanni's hand, and then walked out of the stadium.

The crowd slowly left the stadium, which left the Gym mostly empty. Giovanni walked over to where I was standing, and put his arms around me. He held me for a moment before letting go.

"Congratulations." I told him as I smiled.

His face softened again as he spoke to me. "Thank you, Delia. I'm happy that you were here to share moment with me." His next move shocked me. He kneeled down on one knee, and pulled out a tiny box. He opened it, and a tear fell down my cheek. "Delia Ketchum, will you marry me?"

"Y-yes!" was the only thing I could say. Giovanni took my hand and placed the beautiful ring on my ring finger. He stood up and kissed me. I embraced him as we kissed.

We kept kissing until Giovanni's father's appeared before us and cleared his throat. I blushed when I realized who he was, but quickly composed myself. "You are an excellent trainer, Giovanni. You have proven that you have what it takes to take over as the new head of my organization." I was confused by what his father was saying, but I didn't really pay attention because I was still excited about being newly engaged to Giovanni.

"Father, thank you, but I like my life here in Lavender Town," Giovanni told his father. "I thank you for your offer, but I'm afraid I have to decline your offer. I already have a life here. I have a career here. I have love here. I want to start a family here."

Giovanni's father looked as if his son had just spat in his face. "If that is how you want this, then so be it. You will come around eventually, you'll see." Persian hissed at Giovanni's father as he stormed out of the stadium.

I felt uncomfortable for a moment before I remembered that Giovanni was holding me; protecting me. Giovanni kissed my forehead as we walked out of the stadium. "What is your father's business?" I asked Giovanni.

"It's a corporation that is widely known, and that's all I will say. I would rather not talk about it." He told me.

We walked to the Pokemon Center in silence, with only the happiness of the engagement keeping us from becoming sad or angry. When we arrived, the Center was filled with applause for the astonishing battle Giovanni had won. He smiled for them for a moment before walking to the counter to give Nurse Joy his pokeballs with his exhausted pokemon. I looked around the Center for Daniel, but he was nowhere to be found.

Nurse Joy motioned us to go the waiting room. We followed, but at the doors to the waiting room, he told me, "Go home, I have a present waiting for you there." I looked at him with a frown as if to say 'I want to stay', but he just shook his head and said, "Go. I will be home later after the pokemon are better."

I shook my head, but turned to walk to the front door of the Center. At the door, I turned to look back at Giovanni, but he was already in the waiting room. I turned back around and slowly walked home, contemplating on what this "present" could be. When I arrived home, my Marowak opened the door and jumped on me. I caught it and hugged it tight. "Maro!" it said happily with a smile on its face. I kept holding Marowak as I walked inside. Once inside though, Marowak jumped out of my arms and ran into my bedroom. I was confused by Marowak's excitement, but that was soon answered when Marowak returned moments later holding something.

I couldn't tell what it was until Marowak came up to me and motioned for me to kneel down so we could be on eye level with each other. I gasped when I realized that Marowak was holding an egg! I grinned from ear to ear to Marowak. The thought of Marowak being a mother was exciting to me. Marowak offered the egg to me, and I took hold of it. I cradled it in my arms like a baby. I had a slight nostalgic feeling as I thought of the baby Cubone that would hatch from the egg. It made me feel so warm, that I forgot about the earlier feud with Giovanni and his father.

I sat there with Marowak and her egg for hours until finally Giovanni returned home with his entire pokemon party fully healed. By then it was getting dark and we were all hungry. Marowak took back the egg so that Giovanni and I could eat together. Throughout dinner, Giovanni kept staring at me with a smile on his face. Every time I looked up, he was staring at me. It made me laugh, so I finally told him, "Thank you for the wonderful gift. Marowak is going to make a wonderful mother."

Giovanni smiled and nodded. "Marowak hid that egg from you for an entire week just for this day." He tried to stifle a laugh, but failed as he explained his scheme.

I looked towards Marowak and asked, "Did you really hide that from me?" I made a sarcastic hurt look on my face and Marowak giggled and nudged the egg behind her back.

We laughed at Marowak, and she said "Maro!" We were still laughing when we finished our food and cleaned up. I went over to Marowak and picked up the egg that was still hiding behind her back. Once again, I cradled it and thought of the baby Cubone inside of it.

I started to fantasize about the future I would have with Giovanni and this baby Cubone. That future I thought up was full of happiness…

I was still fantasizing when the doorbell rang. I went to the door to open it. Outside were Giovanni's father and two other men I had never met before. They walked in without acknowledging me and went straight to Giovanni. Giovanni looked at them and for a split second I saw fear in his eyes. "Why are you here?" Giovanni asked after regaining his composure.

"I've decided. You are going to be the new head of Team Rocket, whether you like it or not. You cannot decline to this," as his father said this, he pulled out a gun. "You have no choice but to return with me to Viridian City. You passed the test by beating Daniel. That test proved your worth as the next leader of Team Rocket. We leave now for Viridian-"

"No! You can't do this!" Giovanni's father turns the gun on me now.

"You have no say in the matter, Delia. Giovanni has no choice but to go with us. You, on the other hand, can either go with us, or die." Giovanni's father cocked the gun.

"Father, you can't do that! Leave Delia out of this! This is between the two of us; she was not to be brought into this. We talked about this, remember?" Giovanni pleaded with his father. "I told you that if it ever came to this, that I did not want her to be put through this."

All I could do was clutch the egg, fearing my own life, as well as Giovanni's and the unborn pokemon's. Still pointing the gun at me, Giovanni's father says, "Fine, here is your choice: Go with us, or stay and let Delia die. Which will it be?"

Giovanni never had time to answer, because Marowak, fearing for her egg, used her Bonemerang to knock the gun from Giovanni's father's hand. In the confusion, I ran to the bedroom to protect the egg and get my other pokemon.

I reached my bedroom without being noticed, with Marowak following behind after retrieving its Bonemerang. I ran to the counter where my pokeballs were and grabbed them and put them on my belt. As I turned to hide in the bathroom, I heard a loud _CRASH_ and a moment later one of the two men ran into the room to find me.

I randomly grabbed a pokeball and released the pokemon. It was my Golduck. I yelled "Hydro pump!" and Golduck released a huge jet of water from its mouth at the man. The man was pushed back into the wall and slid to the ground. He didn't get up. I didn't know if he was dead or unconscious, but at that time I didn't care.

I decided to go back to Giovanni, who was still with the other man and his father. There were roars coming from the room Giovanni was in, and it made me flinch. I sneaked into the room with the men and was horrified at the sight. The entire room was destroyed, and Giovanni was hanging in the air by a Golem that had Giovanni by his throat. Giovanni was struggling, and for the first time in my life, I saw Giovanni helpless.

"Golduck, Hydro Pump!" I yelled. Golduck let loose another jet of water, this time at Golem. The Golem was knocked sideways and let go of Giovanni. Giovanni fell to the ground, and he grabbed his throat and rubbed it as he gulped in air. The other man I didn't know ran at me, along with a pokemon he had just called out. It was a Raichu, and it tackled Golduck the same time that the man tackled me. I was forced on the ground and had my arms pinned down so I couldn't call out any more pokemon. A moment later, Golduck fell next to me, having been knocked out by Raichu.

Giovanni had finally recovered and called out a pokemon, his Nidoking, and called out an attack, "Thrash!" Nidoking ran at Raichu and threw its entire body on it. Raichu screamed once before being completely flattened by Nidoking. Nidoking then focused its attack on the man on top of me. Nidoking lowered its head and charged at the man, piercing the man on his side and picking him up, and finally throwing him at Giovanni's father. The old man dodged to the side and then threw two pokeballs of his own. Out came a Gengar and a Poliwrath. The Gengar stayed with the old man, but Poliwrath went after Nidoking.

Giovanni's father said one spine chilling word, "Confusion." Poliwrath focused all of its energy for the attack and telepathically lifted Nidoking into the air and threw it around the room, confusing it at the same time. Poliwrath then threw Nidoking into the ground, where it laid, unconscious.

I motioned to get up, but Giovanni intervened by yelling "Stay down!" Giovanni called out his Victreebel and then ordered a Giga Drain attack. Victreebel jumped on top of Poliwrath and started to suck out all of Poliwrath's energy. Poliwrath tried to pull Victreebel off of it, but every move it made only made Victreebel hold on tighter.

"Use confusion!" Poliwrath tried, but it was lifted in the air as well as Victreebel, and Poliwrath lost total focus and dropped both of them. Victreebel was not affected by the attack, and continued to drain Poliwrath until there was nothing left. With this victory, Giovanni's father seemed to realize that he was about to lose. "Giovanni, you will come back to headquarters with me."

"I will never go with you!" Giovanni yelled at his father. "Victreebel, use vine whip on my father to trap him," Victreebel then shot two vines out from behind its body and wrapped them around the old man.

I figured that Giovanni had the situation finally under control, so I got up to go find Marowak and the egg. I rushed to the bedroom and found the egg in the corner, and Marowak on top of the man Golduck attacked. I grabbed the egg and then I reached for Marowak's hand. Marowak took my hand and we walked back into the room with Giovanni, but not before Marowak hit the man in the head with the Bonemerang.

When we got to the room, Giovanni's father was still tied up, but Giovanni was nowhere to be found. "Giovanni, where are you?" I called out for him, but he never answered. I stood guard with Victreebel so that I could wait for Giovanni.

The adrenaline that had been pumping throughout my system the entire time this was happening had just started to subside when I heard Giovanni's voice behind me. "Let go of my father Victreebel," Giovanni ordered his pokemon. Victreebel pulled the vines back into its body as it released the old man. I turned around, and saw Giovanni. He was walking a little strange, but other than that he was normal. Then I looked at what was in his hand. It was his father's gun. He raised his hand and pointed the gun at me. Victreebel screeched, but was soon cut off by a Jynx that Giovanni's father had called out. The Victreebel fell to the floor, and Giovanni never even acknowledged that his pokemon was hurt.

"Giovanni, why are you doing this?" I asked, totally helpless and surrounded. Giovanni never answered, he just cocked the gun and prepared to shoot. He pulled the trigger right as Marowak jumped in the line of fire to protect its egg. Marowak was shot directly in the stomach and was knocked backwards onto me and the egg, cracking it. I held Marowak in my arms as it lay twitching in its final moments, reaching for its egg. Marowak started convulsing and then…Marowak lay still.

"How could you? Giovanni, how could you do this to Marowak?" I yelled at him through my tears. Giovanni only stared blankly, as if murdering the pokemon of his dearly beloved meant absolutely nothing to him.

Giovanni turned and walked toward his father and the Jynx. "Let's go," he said to them.

When they reached the front door, I screamed "No!" and they turned to look at me.

Giovanni's father ordered "Shut her up, Jynx," and Jynx walked up to me used Hypnosis. Sleep took over me, and in the final seconds before I blacked out, I watched Giovanni, his father, and Jynx stare at me, waiting for me to lose consciousness...

When I awoke, Officer Jenny stood in front of me. I was still in the place where Jynx put me to sleep, but the egg was gone. Golduck, Nidoking, Victreebel, Golem, Raichu, and Poliwrath were no longer lying where they used to be, and all of my pokeballs were gone as well. The two men that had attacked me were still where they had fallen. The house was completely destroyed.

The only pokemon that was still in the house was my Marowak…dead.


	6. Reunion

Fresh tears flow down my face as I think back to that day. Giovanni, my love, had betrayed me. He had murdered my Marowak and stolen its egg, as well as my other pokemon. To top it all off, a few weeks after the tragedy, I found out I was pregnant with his child…

I moved back to Pallet Town so that Ash could grow up without knowing about his father or what he had done to me. I was always afraid for Ash that Giovanni would come for him just as his father came for him. I always made sure that Ash was safe; I tried to be overprotective. I wanted to protect him from his father.

These thoughts and memories are running through my head until Persian comes toward me and purrs. I blink and shake my head to clear my thoughts. Persian motions for me to follow it, so I do. My pokemon come with me. Persian leads us to a door, and into a dim lit corridor.

We walk slowly until we reach the end of the hall, and to another door. Persian pushes it open, and light floods the corridor. We all walk into the bright room, and Persian jumps onto the sofa next to the wall. I stay where I am, even though Persian motions for me to sit with it.

My pokemon and I stay motionless until another door opens and Giovanni appears. He sees me, but barely acknowledges me. He's looking at my pokemon, and smiling. I look around at my pokemon, and am shocked to see them trembling. Their demeanor completely changed when Giovanni entered the room. I go to pet Golduck, but it flinches at my touch.

"I've kept them alive just for you." His voice scares me. "That being said, I haven't been very hospitable to them. I'm sure you understand what I mean." With every word he says, I feel weaker and sick.

When I found them, the thought never occurred to me what might've happened to them over the years. All these years, I always thought they were dead, like Marowak. I never thought they would be alive, but when I found them, I was so happy that I never thought about what happened to them in the time they were gone.

I don't want to know all the details, because that would be too much for me to bear, but just thinking about what might've happened fuels me with rage. "Why did you have to hurt them?"

He looks at me like I had asked the dumbest question in the world. Then he bluntly declares, "They were disobedient. They had to be broken in order to be _fixed_." On the last word Dragonite lets loose a hyper beam attack straight at Giovanni. Persian jumped quickly jumped out of the way, but Giovanni wasn't quick enough before the blast erupted right on the sofa. The blast caused a cloud of smoke to appear, and for a while I couldn't see anything until Venomoth clears the air with a gust attack.

With my vision restored, I look at the place where Giovanni was. The sofa's been completely obliterated, as well as the wall behind it. Giovanni is nowhere to be found. When Persian notices this, it runs off into the hole in the wall. I look at my team, and ask "What now?" They all look at the hole, but when I start to go towards it, they cry for me to stop. "Where else can we go? Following Persian seems like our best option right now."

I don't know why I don't just turn around and exit the way I came, but something pulls me towards the hole in the wall. I have to know what that is. I have to know where Persian wants me to go. I walk towards the hole, and step through. I look back at my pokemon, and they begin to follow me.

The room the hole leads to is pitch black. The only light is from Rapidash's mane and tail. I bring Rapidash to the front of our party then continue forward. Rapidash's fire only lights up a small area around it, so I keep my head down, focusing on the floor as Rapidash passes over it.

The floor is all a dark orange color. As we walk, I notice a white line cut through the orange, so I decide to follow it. My pokemon notice my change in direction and follow me. We keep going until another white line bisects the first line. I turn and follow the other line until two other lines curve off the sides of this line. That's when I realize where we are. We're on a battlefield.

I stop, afraid to move any farther. My pokemon feel my fear, and they tense up. Suddenly, the arena lights come on, flooding the room with light. I'm temporarily blinded by the brightness of the lights. I hear a speaker turn on, and then someone speaks. "Look everybody! She's finally here!" I recognize the voice as Nurse Joy.

By the time she finishes speaking, my eyes have adjusted to the light and I can look around. I'm in the center of a huge stadium, and the stands are full of Team Rocket members. I can see a press box over one of the stands, and the silhouette of Nurse Joy behind the glass.

Nurse Joy giggles, and the crowd roars with excitement for the apparent show they are about to watch. "Boys, come on out!" She shrieks with excitement. This causes more cheers from the crowd. I look around me, and see two men walking towards me. They both look to be about twenty five years old, and they both are in considerably good shape. They both wear Rocket Uniforms, but these are different in that the top has buttons and there is no red "R" on the front. The one on the left is slightly taller than the other, and he has short dark hair with equally dark eyes He wears his shirt open, revealing a black undershirt sporting the familiar red "R". The shorter man has longer hair, with bangs covering half of his face. His shirt is buttoned, and everything about him makes him seem like the total opposite of the man walking next to him.

"Battles are always so much fun, aren't they," Nurse Joy tells the crowd, obviously enjoying herself, "especially when the odds are in favor of us. Boys, make us proud!" Her tone darkens for this last line, "Destroy her!" I look back to the press box, and see what looks to me like Cubone, but suddenly the lights in the press box go off, and one of the men barks at me.

It's the taller one. "Hey lady, you gonna fight us, or what?" He gives me an evil grin then elbows the shorter guy. "C'mon! This isn't gonna be fun if all you're gonna do is stand there! Loosen up a little, Danny Boy."

The pet name makes the shorter guy angry. "My name is Daniel. Quit calling me Danny Boy. Let's just get this over." Daniel looks at me. "Battle us now." He goes to his belt and throws out a poke ball. A Jigglypuff appears from the poke ball.

"You aren't playing around are you, Danny Boy? You want this over fast don't you?" The taller man teases him. Then he grabs one of his own pokeball and throws it out. A Beedrill appears. "You really need to just slow down. Have some fun with this." The taller man laughs at Daniel.

Daniel just sighs. He looks at me, "Hurry up and pick your pokemon." I look at my pokemon, not sure whether I should battle or not. I look behind me, towards the hole where I came in, but I cannot find it. "There's nowhere to run, so either you can try to put up a fight with us, or you can refuse and have the whole Team Rocket swarm in and kill you. Take your pick."

Seeing no other option, I call upon Dragonite, and then run with my pokemon to the end of the field to the trainer's box. I look back to the three pokemon that are on the field, hoping that Dragonite will not be hurt. My battle skills are rusty since I'd sworn off battling after that day, but if they want a battle, then that's just what I'll give them.


End file.
